A Song Floating Through The Air
by Mirsa
Summary: it's time for the next generation to have their turn
1. Harmony of Life

A song floated through the air, the perfection of it drawing all things to it – birds, insects, creatures, even the plants and trees danced in their own fashion for the sheer joy of hearing the beautiful, simple song. If one were to follow the hauntingly beautiful melody, they would soon find themselves in a most peculiar place: a flat, shining plane with a single massive tree in the center, with a grand piano set next to it. At the piano sat a young girl, her shining jet-black hair glistening in the clear light that came from no one source but seemed to pulse and flow from the music she created as her slender fingers danced across the shining keys.

On one side of the piano stood an older girl and boy, both looking to be in their late teens. They watched silently as the little girl played, all threes' heads nodding in time to the rhythm. As the song continued on, suddenly another element was added to the music; the older girl was now standing with her eyes closed and her mouth open, lending her voice to the piece the girl was playing. The boy made no move, but a grin broke out on his face as he watched the two girls complement each other perfectly.

As the girl's fingers danced a few more times and stilled, the notes that seemed almost visible faded away into the air, and both of the older teens broke into applause.

"You're getting pretty good at that, Harmona. Pretty soon you might even pass Mom."

The older girl laughed at the boy's comment. "You know it, Ryff. She's already better than me, and she's younger than I was when I got my first winx."

They both turned when they heard the young girl let the lid of the piano drop with a boom, and saw her sitting with shoulders slumped and a sigh escaping her. The older two glanced at each other before moving to stand with the little girl – in the older girl's case, sit with her as she nudged the younger girl with her knee and sat on the bench alongside her.

"What's up, Harm?"

"Yeah, why the long face? You know how Mom gets when you close her piano like that." The little girl didn't rise to the family joke; the trio's mother was _very_ protective of the heirloom instruments.

"You guys are leaving tomorrow. I'm gonna be all alone. What am I supposed to do while you're gone?" The teenagers glanced at each other; this had been a subject they'd all been avoiding as long as possible. But it was inevitable; as the children of the Princess of Melody Fairyland in the Harmonic Nebula, it was almost expected that they all attend their respective schools, but in their young sister's case, it was eventually. Harmona was only ten; Ryff and Mela were twins.

"Well, you can always come and visit. It's not like our parents are going to keep you under lock and key you know. And visitors are welcome at school."

"Unless, of course, we have half as much fun as Mom, Dad and the rest of the Winx Club and Specialists had when _they_ were in school." The girl shot a look at her twin. The stories about the trio's parents and group of friends were legendary in the magical dimension. But Harmona still shrugged.

"But it's not the same. I can't walk to Alfea and Redfountain whenever I want. You're going to be in a different realm altogether!" her young voice almost rose to a wail as she spoke. Mela sighed, knowing there was nothing she or Ryff could say that would make their little sister feel any better. The little girl had begun to sniffle, and Mela murmured a soft sound as she wrapped her baby sister in a hug. As Harmona clung to her sister, Ryff reached down and affectionately ruffled the girl's hair, his eyes rising to meet his twin's over the youngest one's head.

_Yeah. This is gonna be a lot tougher than we thought._


	2. New Era

The early morning sunlight played through the varying shades of red and purple that comprised the color scheme of Mela's room. The teen herself lay sideways across her massive bed, her feet hanging off one side, knees bent slightly and her head laying face-up. Her two-toned magenta-jet black hair was fanned out on one side, slightly tousled. Musa could see the headphones still covering the teen's ears, connected to the laptop that had been a gift from Tecna on the girl's sixteenth birthday – it had been designed specifically for musical use, and it had never left Mela's side since she got it. Mela lay near the foot of her bed, and behind her was her twin and little sister; Ryff was propped up against the headboard, with Harmona's head on his lap, one slender arm reaching down and grasping the hand of her older sister that was reached back.

"Today is the day." Musa nodded solemnly as she felt Riven come up behind her, both watching their children sleeping, hesitant to break the peace by waking them on the last day they'd spend together for the rest of the year, with no school pressure or outside obligations to distract them.

"I don't think I realized how hard it would actually be for Harmona to have both Ryff and Mela leave at the same time. Shows what I get for being an only child; I was _ready_ to get out."

Riven listened to his wife speak before moving to stand behind her and wrap his arms around her waist, nestling his chin in the curve of her neck. She leaned back against him, and he felt the tenseness in her body and knew she was trying her hardest to appear collected.

"Don't worry, they'll be fine. Even Harmona. She'll be so determined to join Mela she'll work twice as hard to perfect her winx before she's even come into it. Maybe she'll even be the youngest fairy to attend Alfea."

Musa snorted softly, but nonetheless Riven's words worked and a quiet smile spread across her mouth. She knew her children's characters better than anyone, and she knew Riven spoke the truth. As the children of a Guardian Fairy and a Redfountain Specialist, there was little in the magical or human realms that could dissuade Ryff, Mela, or Harmona once they set their minds to something. Unless, of course, it was the children of the other Guardian Fairies and Specialists.

"The day Harmona joins Mela at Alfea is the day the world explodes. Can you just see them together? At _Alfea_? I mean, thinking about how the six of us original Winx Club girls were?" Musa laughed, pressing a hand to her mouth to stifle the sound and not disturb the sleeping siblings.

"Great Dragon preserve us, they'll be the death of Faragonda. I wager even Griselda would be no match for the two of them together!" Riven laughed into Musa's neck before pulling her away to see that the last of the morning preparations were ready. This would be a morning, and a day to remember: the start of a new era of the Winx Club.


	3. First Stop

"See you, squirt." Ryff ruffled Harmona's hair despite her complaints, before she evaded his hand and instead jumped on him in a bone-crushing hug. Ryff hugged his little sister hard, wishing he didn't have to let her go but knowing the sooner he got to work the sooner he could get home to see her again.

Harmona was sniffling a little, and trying to wipe the unshed tears from her eyes when Ryff reluctantly detached her from his body and set her down. He knelt down, looking her in the eye. "Take care of yourself, ok? No getting into any trouble you can't get yourself out of, you hear me?" The little girl nodded, still trying her best not to cry. Ryff smiled, hiding his own eyes shining with a few tears; a muffled sound behind Harmona told him Mela knew he was hiding his true feelings to make their sister feel better, and he knew his twin would have an even harder time when it was her turn.

Standing, Ryff held his hand out to his baby sister, and she clung to him as he stepped off the ship and the threesome made their way to where their parents were talking with the heads of Redfountain. Saladin hadn't aged very much, and Cordatorta was as burly and stern as ever, his Scottish brogue heavier, if that was possible. The grown-ups had just finished talking when the siblings arrived.

Never once to dance around the bush, Cordatorta spoke directly to Ryff. "Ya think ye can handle being at Redfountain, my boy?"

The young man nodded confidently. "Yes, sir. Since my father is a Redfountain graduate, I and my sisters have learned how to handle weapons since we were kids."

The weapon's master glanced at the two girls standing with their brother. "Eh? Fairies learning Redfountain skills? Never heard of such a thing."

Ryff glanced at his parents and sisters before answering, "Well, considering the, ahum, events that transpired when our parents were in school, they figured it might be a good idea for all of us to learn to defend ourselves at an early age. Plus, if Mela or Harmona run out of winx they won't be defenseless or useless." Ryff caught the smug look of his father before turning back to the Redfountain teachers. Saladin was looking thoughtful after hearing Ryff defend his parent's methods of raising their children.

"Fairies learning weapon skills in case they run out of winx. Not a bad idea …" Cordatorta's eyes bugged out of his skull, and Mela thought they might actually pop out but before the weapon's master could argue the murmured statement, Musa spoke up.

"We appreciate you allowing us to personally see Ryff to Redfountain, but we must be going. Thank you for allowing him to attend Riven's alma mater." The head master and weapon's master clasped Riven's arm in a symbol of camaraderie before giving respectful bows to the princess.

"It is our pleasure to allow the son of a Guardian Fairy and a Master Specialist to attend our noble school. We hope we can learn as much from him as he will from us."

Musa returned the gesture before turning to her son and embracing him. "Be careful, Ryff, and do your best." Ryff felt Harmona's hand slip out of his, and a pang of sadness pierced him as he returned his mother's embrace.

"Don't worry, Mom. I may not have winx, but I learned as much from you as from Dad. I'll be fine." Musa's face was glad, despite the tears threatening to ruin her composer, and Ryff gave her a gentle smile before turning to his father and receiving the same arm clasp, traditional of Redfountain.

"I don't want you getting into half as much trouble as I did when I was here, you hear me boy?" Ryff had to fight the smile that threatened the stern look he'd inherited from his father. Riven had not said "don't get in to trouble".

Ryff nodded solemnly. "Yes sir, I understand." He saw his father fighting a similar smile before the man pulled him into a quick embrace before nodding to the two Redfountain teachers. "Try not to kill him." Both men laughed as Riven escorted his wife and daughters back to the levship and Ryff watched the door close before his attention was drawn to the small porthole next to the door. Harmona was waving frantically with Mela standing behind her, one hand on the little one's shoulder and the other held up in a two-finger salute, the twin's personal sign. Ryff returned the salute before waving to Harmona, continuing to wave until the ship had taken off and darted off into the sky. Taking a deep breath, the new Redfountain freshman turned, saw Saladin and Cordatorta waiting, and snatched up his rucksack and jogged to where the two men were standing.

"You realize your father and the other Specialists left a legacy that you're expected to live up to, don't you?" Saladin's question was weighted as both teachers watched the young man's expression.

Ryff's confidence never wavered; his parents had taught him well. "Yes sir and I intend to surpass it. "

Saladin laughed as he turned and began walking. "Excellent. I think you'll make a fine addition to our school, Ryff. Welcome to the Redfountain School of Heroics and Bravery."


	4. A Nice Distraction

Riven was gazing intently at the horizon through the view portal when a sudden bass thump and bout of laughter distracted him. He glanced around to discover the sound coming from the passenger quarters behind the cockpit. Knowing there was still some time till they reached Alfea, the Red Fountain Specialist decided it wouldn't hurt and reached up the control panel, clicking the autopilot on before getting out of the consol chair. Stretching, he made his way to the passenger area where a familiar sight met his eyes.

Musa glanced at her husband from her position on the arm of one of the lounge chairs, grinning at him before turning back to watch her daughters moving through a range of motions in sync with a song blasting through the cabin speakers. Mela and Harmona were moving in perfect harmony, their movements fluid and clean, and both had to keep their laughter of pure joy in check as they made their way through the dance moves. As Riven sat down behind Musa, pulling her onto his lap as he did, the song changed and Harmona suddenly stopped. Mela continued, a grin revealing her teeth as she began showing her little sister more dance moves yet unknown to the girl. Harmona watched intently, trying to memorize and vaguely mimicking her sister's movements. The song changed once again, but this time Mela took a floating hop to where her laptop sat, connected to the ship's mainframe, and she skillfully rewound the music back to the second song. She glanced at her parents watching them, grinning as she went to show her sister the moves to the new song.

"She thought it would be a good way to keep Harm's mind off her leaving." Musa spoke beneath the music as she and Riven continued watching the girls. Riven nodded without turning his gaze.

"An effective plan, it seems."

"Yes." Musa's voice dropped off as she, too, watched their children, and Riven glanced up to see that same distant look in her eyes. Gently he wrapped his arms around her waist, squeezing a little, a gesture Musa returned with the arm she had around his shoulders.


End file.
